Catalytically-acting enzymic agent and process of producing it.



ALnEn'r nncsrua name, or ERSEY our, New JERSEY.

cATALYTICALLY-AGTING nnzmrc Aefn'nr AND raocnss or raonucrne r.

T Specification of Letters Patent, Patent d n,21,1'913,

1,051,061. 30 Drawing. 7 Application filed latch 18, 1909. Serial No. 484,287.

To all whom it may cacem:

Be it known'that .-I, Ainnnr DECATUR BARR, a citizen of th'e'Unitcd States, residing at Jerse City, in the county ofHjld'son and State 0 New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements inCatalytically- Acting Enzymic Agents "and Processes of Producing Therm-of which the following is a specification;-

catalytically actingenzymic agents of high 7 activity, and in many. cases of a different type of activity, from the natural enzymic.

proteid bodies,. or unorganized .ferments, such as pepsin, by subjecting such bodies to the successive action of alkali and acid strong enough to change the molecular structure.

An important partof my invention is" the discovery that. it is possible to split these proteids along a line of cleavage different from those heretofore known and resulting in a chemical change of the proteid molecule. Heretofore it has been supposed that proteids generally canbe split mainly along a two lines of cleavage, producing either pepsubstantia tones and ammo products .or putrefactive substances. I have discovered that by following the process herein set forth these proteids can bemade to splitalong' another. line of cleavage, producinga different mo-' lecular structure, and that by -so treating such an enzymicflproteid it is prevented from splitting along the usual lines above referred to and is caused to split falong a difierent line whereby a catalytically acting or enzymic agent of greatpower and value. is o tained. For example, inthe caseof pep- 40 sin, the proteolytic action is suppressed and the product possesses a sugar-splitting action.

So-far as 11am aware,no suggestion has heretofore been made-that it is possible to produce a proteidenzymically actin agent except. by the complex processes 0 living cells. For thiscomplex process I- substitute a simple chemical change, obtaining thereby novel catallyt' y as effective and "powerful as those resulting from the more complex processes of the living cells. l

The methodby 'hich I give efiectto my discovery consists in s ubjectin the enzymic proteid substance firstto alka and then to acid of strengths-miflicient to produce a molecular cleavage' The prote'id substance invention relates the production of cally actinghgente or enzymesv may be subjected to acid and then alkali and then acid and other variations may be made if desired; but the essential idea is the treatment with alkali followed by the treat ment with acid, and additional treatments before or after these two' steps are ofsubordinate importance in the process.

The particular kind of alkali and the particular kind of acid are not of controlling change the molecular structure of the proteid. But because, being volatile, it is practicable to separate it more easily, ammonia is the most convenient alkali and is used in the. illustrative formula hereinafter given.

importance, any kinds answering the pur- 'pose PIOVldGd they are strong enough to Perhaps the next most convenient alkali for the purpose is a watery solution of an alkaline compound-of sodium or potassium, and

any" sufliciently strongly alkaline compoundwill answer. Acetic acid is mentioned as the acid in the illustrative formula. Probably the next most convenient acid is hydrochloric acid, but any sufiiciently strong acid will answer the purpose.

It is thus apparent that the invention consists essentially in the production of acatalytic or enzymicagent by subjecting anv enzymic 'proteid substance to an alkali and then to an acid.

The followlng is an illustrative formula i which may bevaried by substituting other enzymic. proteid substances or substances containing proteids, other alkalis, or other acids, and Widely modifying the periods and manner of application without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Take, say, one pound of pepsin S. P.),

thoroughly saturate it with stronger ammonia water (U. S. P), making the saturation thorough in any convenient way, as, for

example, by operating in the manner 1n which fluid extracts are usually made.

Place the whole in a percolator, and add stronger ammonia water until a stratum re- .mains above. Tightly close the percolator, including the lower orifice. Allow it to remain, say, twenty-four (QM-hours. Evapo-. y 5

rate the ammonia, preferably at a temperature not exceeding 125 F. Place the prod.- uct again in the percolator. Thoroughly saturate with acetic acid. dd sufiicient acetic acid for a stratum to remain above. Tightly close the "percolator as before. Allow maceration to (5) days,- though the fplficeed for, say, five; period is not nee.-

essary to obtain a more-or less complete conversion. Evaporate the acetic acid, preferably at a temperature not exceeding 125 F.

The product is a brown, amorphous powder having a mild acid'ulous or slightly sa line taste which attracts moisture when exposed to the air, is soluble for the most part in about one hundred parts of water, with more or less opalescence, and is insoluble in alcohol, ether or chloroform. On heating a solution in acidulated water to 212 F. it becomes milky or yields a light precipitate. It has a slight acid reaction. On admixture with substances capable of undergoing a hydrolytic change, the new composition produces hydrolytic changes.

As has been pointed out, the formula given is for purposes of illustration. The process consists in the subjecting of enzymic acid.

I claim I 1. A process of manufacturing catalytic agents which consists in saturating an enzymic proteid substance with alkali and saturating the resulting product with acid, the

proteids successively to alkali and acid and alkali being of sutficient strength to eifect a molecular cleavage of such pro teid.

2. A process of" manufacturing catalytic agents which consists in applying alkali to an enzymic proteid substance; and applying an acid to theresulting product, the acid and alkali being of sufficient strength to effect a molecular cleavage of such proteid.

3. A process of manufacturing catalytic agents which consists in saturating pepsin with stronger ammonia water, evaporating, saturating the resulting product with acetic acid, and evaporating.-

4:- As a new composition of matter, an-

enzymically acting catalytic agent of proteid nature and having the composition of an acid and alkaline cleavage product of an enzymic proteid, and having an enzymic power different from that of the. original enzymic proteid.

' ALBERT DECATUR BARR.

Witnesses:

HERMAN GUsToW, I KATHRYN M. KILEi, 

